Good Governance

Governance plays a vital role in the uplift and amelioration of the livelihood, lifestyle and life standards of citizens. Unfortunately, the interrupted democratic system, lack of accountability, corruption and the absence of the rule of law have been major hurdles in the way of good governance in Pakistan. Besides this, incompetent politicians and bureaucracy, an unfair recruitment system and absence of accountability across the board have affected the efficient service delivery to the general public. For this, the government must control the scourge of corruption, abuse of power and unfairness in its institutions by devising a proper mechanism of transparency and accountability. This is the only way the government can govern the hearts of people and pull out the public from the dark ditch of bad governance.

As the first vital pillar of good governance, overall participation of citizens and residents is necessary to achieve the ideals of true transparency and accountability, as this participation can assist governments to understand the grassroot problems surrounding the communities, as well as the on-going solutions to counter such issues. We can see Prime Minister Imran Khan taking strides in this direction by attending to live calls and also providing a portal to facilitate the general public. It is a step in the right direction but true change can only be accomplished when the feedback is taken into consideration by holding the respective departments responsible and resolving the problems.

Serving as the second pillar, consensus orientation involves including interested groups that could be affected by new legislation. For instance, while increasing tax on online transactions, consensus orientation requires the uninhibited opinions of vulnerable traders. However, in Pakistan, most decisions are taken without broad-based consensus, such as the federal government enhancing the powers of NAB without considering businessmen and bureaucrats. This has resulted in a national economic halt as bureaucrats have stopped signing files and businessmen have paused investments.

As the third crucial pillar, accountability plays a central role in good governance. There are a multitude of accountability institutions such as the NAB, FIA, the police force, anti-corruption departments and the department of the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), yet none live up to their purpose. The accountability system needs utmost focus and attention, including the AGP and the Public Accounts Committees (PACs), which are supposed to be respectively responsible for the overall audit and accounting and control of federal, provincial and local governments.

The fourth pillar is something Prime Minister Imran Khan has tried to champion – transparency. The government has tried to pave the way for greater accountability, progress is non-existent owing to the corruption at all levels. Tactics such as the Board of Revenue self-praising accomplishments that have yet to come true continues to frustrate the public, leaving it with barely any hope for reform. Prime Minister has stalled all senior bureaucracy promotions; however, a system to receive public feedback is non-existent.

As the fifth pillar, responsiveness, relates to the government implementing policies and solving crises within a practical timeframe, especially when it comes to unforeseen situations, such as the recent global Covid-19 pandemic. With Imran Khan having profound respect for the Chinese system of governance at the local level, Pakistan should learn to understand how local governments can truly improve the country’s governance.

The interrupted democratic system, lack of accountability, corruption and the absence of the rule of law have been major hurdles in the way of good governance in Pakistan.

The sixth pillar is a balanced partnership between efficiency, which is the ability to achieve something using minimum money, time, energy and efforts, and effectiveness, which is the degree of a desired and successful result. The Pakistan Ministry of Energy issued a report showcasing how circular debt has spiked significantly, regardless of prices in electricity continuing to increase, which only proves the ineffective decision by the government to assist with debt.

Failure to uphold the seventh pillar of good governance, equity and inclusiveness, led to the unfair treatment of East Pakistan, which eventually paved the way for the creation of Bangladesh. However, steps are being taken to ground this pillar into Pakistan’s foundation, with the 18th Amendment ensuring the inclusiveness of Balochistan and the Prime Minister strongly advocating a uniform curriculum.

Finally, rule of law serves as the eighth pillar and is the most crucial. In Pakistan, there is a clear divide between the rule of law for the rich and the poor. The infamous victory signs by model Ayan Ali and Sharukh Jatoi showcase the derelict system. To ensure good governance, rule of law ought to be upheld religiously at all levels of government, without boundaries, exemptions or leniency.

Overall, Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government are trying to pave the way for better governance in terms of implementing various initiatives to counter issues and facilitate the masses. However, Pakistan still has quite a journey to travel to achieve true political stability, transparency and accountability. There is certainly light at the end of tunnel, especially if corruption, unprofessionalism and unfairness are properly dealt with by keeping aside vested interests. If the government understands the importance and interdependency of all the 8 pillars, Pakistan can become an example of good governance.